Meter.



W.\L`. BROWN.

l METER.

APPLICATION man DEc.31. 1913.

l l @A l Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

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WILLIAM LAIRD BROWN, OF LANSIDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA. i

METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 191% Application led December 31, 1913. Serial No.809,727.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LAIRD BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedSt-ates, residing at Lansdowne, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMeters, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing.

Myinvention is particularly applicable to gas meters of the typeincluding bellows which are inflated by the gas passing through themeter and are operatively connected with a dial mechanism indicating thenumber of feet of gas passed through said bellows; said dial mechanismincluding four circular dials traversed by rotary indicators, eachrevolution of which indicates respectively 100,000, 10,000, 1,000, and 2cubic feet. Upon installing such a meter, it is necessary for theinspector to shut all of the burner outlets and watch the dial mechanismfor a considerable length of time to determine whether there is a leakin the piping system or not; the only means indicating such a leak beingthe slow rotary traverse of the indicators with respect to said dials.

The object of my present invention is to provide such a meter with anindicator which will instantly manifest whether there is any gas passingthrough the meter when the burners are closed.

As hereinafter described, my invent-ion includes the combination with ameter casing having circular dials, of rotary indicators arranged totraverse said dials; a scale adjacent said dials, including a straightseries of graduations; a reciprocatory indicator arranged to traversesaid scale; an operating mechanism arranged to rotate said dialindicators and reciprocate said scaleindicator at respectively differentspeeds, said scale indicator being shifted at variable speed from pointsof rest at respectively opposite ends of its range of movement; saidrange of movement being greater than the length of said scale, and thelatter being located intermediate of said range; whereby saidreciprocatory indicator only traverses its scale at a greater speed thanthe other indicators.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction andarrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the drawings :--Figure I is a fragmentary front elevation of a meterembodying my invention, the top wall of the meter 'casing being removed.

-closing the ordinary bellows mechanism which is operatively connectedwith the vertical rock shaft or flag rod 2 having the long flag arm 3which is pivotally connected at 4f with the short Iiag arm or link 6which is pivotally connected at its opposite end with the tangent armpost or crank pin 7 upon the tangent arm or crank 8 which is rigidlyconnected with the crank shaft 9 having the worm 10 engaging the wormgear 11 on the horizontal axle 12 of the dial mechanism in the frame 13,including the rotary indicators 15, 16, 17 and 18 which are arranged totraverse their respective circular dials 20,21, 22 and 23 atrespectively different speeds; so that each revolution of saidindicators 15, 16, 17 and 18 respectively indicates the passage of100,000, 10,000, 1,000, and 2 cubic feet of gas through the meter.

Said dials are on the plate 25 which also has the scale 26 adjacent saiddials including a straight series of graduations arranged to betraversed by the reciprocatory indicator 28 which depends through theguide slot 29 in said frame 13 and is connected with said arm 3 at itsopposite end by universal pivotal connection afforded by 'the bight 30of said indicator extending through the aperture 31 in said arm 3.

Said reciprocatory indicator 28 is shown4 at one eXtreme of its range ofmovement indicated by the dash 32 which is a point of rest, and, by theoscillatory movement of said arm 3, is shifted to the opposite eX- tremeof its range of movement indicated by the dash 33. Said scale 26 is madeof less length than said range of movement of the indicator 28, andlocated intermediate of saidk range, so that said reciprocatoryindicatortraverses said scale at a greater speed than the otherindicators, and the inspector can ascertain at a glance Whether saidindicator 28 is in motion Withrespect to said scale 26 or not.

It may be observed that the universal pivotal connection bet-Ween saidarm 3 and the reciprocatory indicator 28 permitsthe latter to conformboth horizontally and vertically to the guidance of the slot 29.,- so.

as to permit of such variations in the location of the elements ofthemeter mechanism as are'found in practice. Although I prefer to connectsaidreciprocatory indicator 28 with the arm 8 in the mannerV shown inFigs. I and II; I nd it convenient to eniploy the modified form of jointshown in Fig. III When the reciprocatory indicator isto be applied as anattachment to an old meter. In said gure, the reciprocatory indicator35, Which is otherwise similar to the indicator 28, has the Yhorizontalbight 36 encircling one limb of the Wire loop 37 Which may beconveniently attached to the arm--S'by the solder 38.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of constructionand arrangen ment herein set forth, as it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made therein Without departing from the essentialfeatures of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

l.v TheV combination with a meter casing having a scale including astraight series of graduations; of an' indicator arranged to traverse'said scale; an operating mechanism arranged to reciprocate said scaleindicator; -auniversalpivotal joint between said indicator and saidoperating mechanism; and a guide including a slot engaging saidindica'tor.V

2.1 The vcombination With a meter casing having afrock shaft; of' an armon said rock y shaft; a scale indicator; a pivotal connection-'betweensaid arm and scale indicator,

l permitting the latter to oscillate vertically and horizontal-ly lascale including a straight series of graduations; and a 'guide for saidindicator restricting the-movement thereof tothe direction of saidseries of graduations.

l 3. The combination With a meter Vcasing having fa rock shaft; of anarm on said rock shaft; an indicator; a pivotal connection between saidarm and indicator, permitting fthe latter to oscillate vertically andhori- 4 cev zontally; and a guide for the end of said indicatgorrestricting the movement thereof to Sa straight line;

ijThe, combination with a meter casing including a crank, a rock shaft,and an arm ons-aid rock shaft operatively connected With said crank; ofan indicator` directly pivotally yconnected `With said arm, remote fromsaid rock shaft; and a guide for the end of said indicator restrictingthe movement thereof to a straight line, including a frame having a slotin Which the end of said indicator remote from said pivotal connectionis arranged to reciprocate.

5. The combination with a meter casing including a crank, a rock shaft,and an arm on said rock shaft operatively connected with said crank; ofan indicator directly pivotally connected with said arm, remotefroinsaid i'ockshaft; and a guide for the end of said indicatorrestricting the movement thereof to a straight line.

.6. The combination with a meter casing including a crank, a rock shaft,and an arm vguide for the end of said indicator restrictingthe movementthereof to a straight line.

7. The combination With a meter casing including a crank, a rock shaft,and an arm on said rock shaft operatively connected With said crank; ofan indicator directly pivotally connected With said arm, remote fromsaid rock shaft; and a guide for' the end of said indicatorrestrictingthe movement thereof to a straight line', including a frame having aslot in Which the end of said indicator remote from said pivotalconnection is arranged to reciprocate; and a Scale, carried by saidframe, including a straight series of equally spaced graduations; saidseriesbeing of less extent than the reciprocatory traverse of saidindicator in said frame, and intermediate of said slot.

S. The combination with a meter casing including a crank, a rock shaft,and an arm on saidV rock shaft operatively connected with said crank; ofany indicator directly pivotally connected with said arm, remote fromsaid rock shaft; and a guide for the end of said indicator restrictingthe movement thereof to a straight line, including a frame having a slotin which the end of said indicator remote from said pivotal connectionis arranged to reciprocate; and a scale, carried by said frame,including a straight series of gradnations; said series being of lessextent than the reciprocatory traverse of said indicator in said frame,and intermediate of said slot.

r9. The combination With a meter casing including a registering index, acrank, a rock shaft, andan arin on said rock shaft operatively connectedwith said crank; of an indicator directly pivotally connected with saidarm, remote from said rock shaft; and a guide for the end of saidindicator restricting the movement thereof to a straight line,4including a frame having a slot in which the end of said indicatorremote from said pivotal connection ris arranged to reciprocate; and ascale, carried by said frame,

including a straight series of graduations; In testimony whereof, I havehereunto said series being of less extent than the resigned my name atPhiladelphia, Pa., this 10 cipoatory traverse ofdsad fndlcaiior i 26thday of Dec., 1913.

sai rame, and interme iate o t e engt of said slot; said scale indicatorbeing WXLLIAM LAIRD BROWN' moved at greater speed than said index, andWitnesses:

the range of its movement being greater MARY M. CALLA, than the lengthof said scale. WILSON MECKE, Sr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, JD. G.

